super_si

try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Do say 3*100m ***** to the wall style. rest inbetween. It works up the sets etc when you get fitter. Ideally works in conjunction with other types training. POC one to ask about cutting down!

milo

sort your diet out. this will be the determining factor.

for cardio, 45 mins of low intensity if its for fat loss. this is the easiest, least catabolic way of losing fat for the vast majority of people.

but its the diet that will make or break it.

super_si

dont you like HIIT then Milo? I used it when on ECA stack seemed to kill me

milo

hiit does work, but is too harsh on your joints compared to 45 mins of low intensity brisk walking or cycling. that said, its entirely possible you could do hiit on a bike or rower.

hiit can be catabolic on your legs especially if you're using running, altho this depends on your genetics.

milo

it will probably be around 20 strokes for most, altho its best to make sure with a heart rate monitor.

you should be able to carry out a normal conversation while doing your cardio work. if you can't then you're probably going too intense.

your heart rate should be around 60-70 of your maximum - possibly even lower.

anc-sti

It should feel sustainable, ie you are within your aerobic training zone, strokes per min and resistance are a personal thing really to be decided yourself. You fat burn when training aerobically. Always keep your fluid levels up whilst doing this type of training.

High intensity training won't help control weight as you are anaerobic and use carbs stored in your liver to fuel your body. This sort of training is used to improve your fitness levels but you have to do the base(aerobic) training first.

Plums!

To be honest if it really has been a while since you've done any sports...

Then see a doctor for a check up and advice! I know that sounds lame but it's the safest bet!

I would suggest breaking yourself in slowly, and set some obtainable goals to keep you motivated....

be sensible and enjoy the after workout glow!

Oh and drink plenty of water to helps rid your body of all those nasty toxins! Aim for at least 1.5-2 litres a day.

Good luck

ozzy

As Milo says, the key to weight management is diet. Exercise will help burn all those excess calories, but it can only do so much.

An apple is around 70-75 calories and a can of cola abour 105, so it just goes to show what all that effort achieved. Big Mac is 700 calories. **** a 24min, 4-mile run wouldn't burn that off. keep these in mind next time you're chomping some food down

Anyway, the basic rule of thumb with HR zones is:-

60% to 70% - Recovery Zone (low intensity, fat burner)
70% to 80% - Aerobic Zone (basic all round CV fitness)
80% to 90% - Anaerobic Zone (get fit quick zone)
90% to 100% - Red Line Zone (performance improvements - HIIT stuff)

Simply Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) calculation = 220 - your age

MHR will vary between individuals of equal age, but mostly down to your fitness level and your physiology. Mine's about 10 beats more than the calc says, but the 10% variation in zones is a big enough gap to make the calc usable.

Wouldn't go any lower than 50% as you'd be wasting your time IMHO. Cutting a chocy biscuit out your diet would probably be more beneficial than 40mins @ 50% MHR.

Don't try the HIIT stuff until you've increased your overall fitness level first, but it is VERY effective and is something I do a lot of myself.

I would add it to one of your sessions after a 3-4 weeks. So do your normal 45 mins and then sprint for the last 30secs - 1min. A week later you could sprint longer or do 2 sprints, then longer again or 3 sprints.

If your working hard enough you shouldn't be able to do more than a few minutes sprinting. If you can you're not trying hard enough

Interval Training is simply high intensity exercise followed by short periods of rest, so you can basically do it with any exercise.

You could create a simply circuit of say:-

100m sprint row
20 press-ups
20 sit-ups
20 squat-thrusts
20 step-ups (say onto a solid chair or something at least 8" high that'll take your weight)
100 skips with your rope

there's loads of variations, but the key is to exercise flat-out for at 2 mins, then allowing yourself to recover before doing it all again. Obviously you'll have to experiment with the circuit size and reps and how many you can do.

As you get fitter, you can add more exercises and more reps or even time the exercises. For example, I used to do about 15 exercises and went from 15secs per exercise to 30secs. Your recovery time will get smaller, but 3-4 circuits could work out to over 45mins of hard graft.

They key to any fitness thing is variation. Your body will get used to a routine so keep mixing it up after 2-3 months.

Good luck,

Stefan

yoza

Face up to it, youve bought an expensive cloths hanger.

Mark my words..........Hmmmm Ill give you 2 months tops, then undies hanger it is.

Brendan Hughes

Good luck Bob





<scratches entry out of diary>

Pavlo

nice comfortable stroke rate for 30 mins is about 22/min, with good stroke technique you can make good progress at about 20. Sprinting will be up at about 35, and ***** to the wall flat out should be about 42.

If it's a concept 2 or similar ergo, you should be able to get a nice long stroke, which begins with the legs and finishes with the arms. At start of stroke, stretch arms as long as they go so you are not getting the stroke length by bending your back excessively

Paul

anc-sti

Ease off then, reduce the resistance if you can or reduce the smp. You will get base fitness by doing sustainable exercise. In cycling its called putting the miles in and it is generally done during the winter months or down time of the season. Low intensity exercise will give you aerobic endurance, once you have achieved this then its time to start the hard stuff.

It's like anything really slow sustainable developement is far better. If you go at execise to hard you will potentially injure yourself, not enjoy it and burn out as you you haven't given your body time to adapt.

POC

Ditto everything Ozzy said up there ^, just start off slow.

Low intensity cardio work is tedious, but can be very effective when coupled with the correct diet and thats where IMHO most of the work will need to come from, getting the diet right will make you feel better and acheive your weight loss goals, without diet then you will just be flogging the proverbial horse!

Not alot more I can add that hasn't already been mentioned, willpower is the name of the game, not eating that big mac on the weekends and cutting out the rubbish in your diet will do wonders, as Oz said, just cutting out the food will lend as much progress as additional workouts.

Just dont do too much too soon or your progress will be limited, overtraining is an easy trap to fall into and can be like a brickwall for some people. 4/5 (45min/1hr) cardio sessions a week coupled with the correct diet and the weight will fall off. Each cardio session go for 5 mins longer than the last time, fitness and stamina will increase until you can reach the 45 min mark, anything after that is easy IMHO.

Si mentioned HIIT, very effective but N/A in your case I would say, its quite advanced and can only really be attempted when you have a decent fitness level. Look at HIIT as the next stage

Good luck fella, let us know how you get on.